Man posts bus theft on YouTube
|
|
Photo shows screen capture from a video posted on YouTube.com by Jacob Rehm, 38, of Morrisville, showing off and joyriding in the tour bus he allegedly stole. TIMES ARGUS PHOTO |
Toolbox
By THATCHER MOATS STAFF WRITER - Published: November 13, 2009
BARRE – The bus theft didn't work out. Maybe the film career will.
A 38-year-old Morrisville man, who was arrested last week for allegedly stealing a $500,000 coach bus, appears to have filmed the escapade and posted a 4-minute, 40-second video on the Internet.
Jacob Rehm allegedly stole the luxury bus from Lamoille Valley Transportation, drove around central Vermont and then was stopped by the owner of the bus who spotted it driving off Interstate 91 in St. Johnsbury.
Rehm is scheduled to appear in Vermont District Court in Hyde Park on Tuesday to answer to the charge of operating without the owner's consent.
Police said the bearded man who appears in the video is in fact Rehm. And the video is now part of the criminal case and is described in an affidavit that has been sent to the Lamoille County State's Attorney, said the police officer who investigated the theft.
The video, titled "The Fabulous Bus Ride," is posted on YouTube and is set to a song by the band "Yes." It begins with a shot of two small pets that look like guinea pigs and ends with credits that thank the state police, who arrested Rehm.
The video gives a tour of the interior of the bus, and shows the engine and the outside of the bus. The bus clearly says "Lamoille Valley," which is the company that owns the bus.
There are also shots of Rehm driving the bus while wearing sunglasses and a straw hat.
The film credits say the video was made by Jake "Rolls Royce" Swift. Police said that Rehm has used both Swift and Rehm as a last name.
About five years ago, Rehm was a bus driver for Lamoille Valley Transportation, according to the owner of the company, Norman Prive.
Prive fired Rehm after about 90 days because he was "crazy" and slept in his car, Prive said.
In an interview last week, Prive described Rehm as a "real, real basket case."
Rehm could not be reached for comment, and it's unclear why he allegedly stole the bus. Morrisville Police Officer Aaron Cochran declined to comment on the case or the video because Rehm hasn't yet been arraigned.
The bus was unharmed in the making of the video.
36